The Champions League final took place in Paris at the Stade de France as Liverpool faced off against Real Madrid. Liverpool were the favourites for many or at least the English media and some were saying they would win 3-0. Real Madrid were calm and collected going into the game and being 13 time winner why wouldn’t they be. Several of these players had a chance to win their fifth Champions League medal, they had beaten Liverpool before and they wanted to do it again.
Liverpool dominated the first half but Courtois made some brilliant saves to keep Real Madrid in the game. Real Madrid began to create chances in the final five minutes and Benzema scored only for the goal to be wrongly ruled offside by VAR. Real Madrid started the second half the better team and controlled the pace of the game. The goal came in the 59th minute as a cross from Valverde found Vinicius who ran behind Trent and slotted past Alisson. Liverpool huffed and puffed but could not break the wall that was Courtois. Courtois was a man possessed and he deservedly put in a man of the match performance. Full time came and Real Madrid were Champions League winner for a 14th time.
For Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool they end the season having won no major trophies. After all the quadruple chat by the media and best team label’s all they achieved was a domestic cup double. There is genuinely a discussion to be had whether Klopp really is at the level of some of the great managers. It’s all ok to say a they came so close but a team actually did beat them to it so why couldn’t they beat the other team. Three finals for them this season and no goals scored. Back to the drawing board.
For Real Madrid, no one expected them to win the competition. It was the hardest run any team has had to face beating the French champions, the Champions League holders, the English champions and then the Carabao Cup winners. Real were not at their best but they won this Champions League season through sheer heritage and moments. They know this is their competition and they believed in themselves. A brilliant run.